> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.dualentry.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# How to Apply a Custom Template

> Apply a custom invoice template to your organization, a company, or a customer in DualEntry so new invoice PDFs for that record use its layout.

Apply a custom template on the organization, company, or customer record whose invoices should use it. DualEntry renders each invoice PDF with the most specific template that applies: customer first, then company, then organization, then the read-only **System English Letter** template. See [How Custom Templates Work](./index) for why it works this way.

## Prerequisites

* An active custom template. See [How to Create a Custom Template](./how-to-create-a-custom-template). Archived templates can't be applied.
* The `invoice_template:assign` permission. The Admin, Accounts Receivable, and Controller roles include it by default. Without it, the **Custom template** field is read-only.
* To apply a template at the organization level, the `organization_settings:edit` permission as well.
* The record must already be saved. On a new company or customer, save the record first, then come back to set its template.

## Apply the template

1. Open the record for the level you want:

   | Level | Where the **Custom template** field is | Applies to |
   | - | - | - |
   | Organization | **Settings → Organization**, **Money-In** tab, at the top | Every invoice with no company or customer template |
   | Company | The company record, **Branding** tab | Every invoice the company issues, unless the customer has its own template |
   | Customer | The customer record, below **Billing Information** | Every invoice to the customer, from any company |

2. In **Custom template**, choose the template. To remove an existing assignment and inherit from the level above, choose **Use inherited default**.

3. Save the record.

The assignment takes effect only when you save the record; closing it without saving discards your choice. After saving, the field shows **Effective template** with the template's name, or **Inherited** followed by the name when it comes from a broader level. The template's **Applied for** column on the Custom Templates list now includes this record.

One template can be applied to any number of records at any level.

## Check which invoices pick up the change

New invoices for the record render with the new template. So do existing invoices that haven't been downloaded or emailed yet. An invoice that has already been downloaded, bulk downloaded, or emailed keeps the layout it was first generated with, so its PDF doesn't change.

To confirm, open an invoice that hasn't been sent yet under **Money In → Invoices** and check its PDF preview.

## Troubleshooting

**The invoice still uses the standard DualEntry layout.** Check the template's **Applied for** column. **Nothing** means the template isn't applied anywhere; apply it and save the record. If it's applied, confirm the template is active, not archived.

**A customer gets a different layout from the rest of the company.** The customer has its own template, which overrides the company's. Set the customer's **Custom template** to **Use inherited default** and save to fall back to the company template.

**An invoice you already sent didn't change.** That's expected. The invoice keeps the layout from its first download or email. Templates you apply now affect only invoices that haven't been downloaded or emailed.

**The Custom template field is disabled.** Either the record hasn't been saved yet, or you don't have the `invoice_template:assign` permission. Ask your Admin.

**Two templates are hard to tell apart in the list.** Rename one so the name includes its country, language, or company.


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